


Something Has Begun

by OnceUponADestiel (Jems_of_Grace)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 2014, Alternate Universe - Croatoan/Endverse, Angst, C'mon, Destiel - Freeform, End of the World, Endverse, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Future Fic, Kid!Fic, Kinda, M/M, Slow Burn, Work In Progress, a little anyways, dean/cas - Freeform, it's an endverse fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-22 17:17:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6087969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jems_of_Grace/pseuds/OnceUponADestiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The year is 2014 but for some unknowable reason, Lucifer has so far been a no show. With no sign of the end of the world in sight, Dean, Cas and the rest of Camp Chitaqua are left to find a new kind of place for themselves in the world; a way to sustain themselves when most of the rest of the world has been hit hard by the half done apocalypse. </p><p>Dean is out on patrol one evening, when he finds a small child, curled up in a nest in the corner of a disused superstore. She has been abandoned and it is up to Dean to take her back to camp and find someone to take care of her. He's sure that someone will be begging for the opportunity - a last chance to raise a child...</p><p>Things don't work out quite the way Dean expected however and Cas - usually more concerned with being addled on drugs and arranging his next orgy - is coerced into helping him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Suddenly

**Author's Note:**

> _"Suddenly you're here,_
> 
> _Suddenly it starts._
> 
> _Can two anxious hearts beat as one?"_
> 
> **Suddenly**
> 
> **Les Misérables**

He was looking for batteries.

Back at camp, Chuck had been begging for them so when Dean came across the abandoned superstore he thought, why not - nothing to lose…

Like everywhere else in town ,the place had been raided hundreds of times already. Most of the shelves were either empty or filled with the kind of random useless crap that no one reached for in an apocalypse. But there might still be batteries - Dean doubted the croats had found a use for those.

He waded through aisles of junk, looking for a likely place to start. Some yellow and black packaging caught his eye and he made his way towards it, pulling out packets and quickly checking – yeah, batteries. He started making a pile.

A small crunch in the distance made him freeze and he span on the spot, eyes darting everywhere, looking for the source… but there was nothing there so far as he could see - probably just something falling off a shelf…

Dean grabbed a couple packets of different batteries, still glancing around cautiously. It would make sense to give a quick patrol of the whole store – there might be other things that they could make use of if they came back here…

Eyes peeled, Dean set back off down the aisle, turning the corner at the bottom.

He stopped staring into the furthermost corner, not sure what he was seeing in the dim light. He edged closer and stared some more. There was only one word Dean could think of for the pile in the corner and that was _nest._

What looked like store issue work fleeces had been strewn together in an almost donut like shape. Food debris, wrappers and other random unidentifiable bits and pieces were scattered all around; strips of toilet paper, crumpled sheets of old newspapers and clumps of cardboard… the whole thing gave off a stench of ammonia and Dean didn’t even want to imagine what he might find hidden beneath those sweaters if he cared to take a look.

Dean stared a bit more. It was quite obvious that something had been living here - might still be living here – and he cast another cautionary glance over his shoulder.

There was another little crunch, not unlike the one he’d heard before but closer this time and he peered through the gloom, searching out the culprit.

There.

At the end of the next aisle a pair of dark eyes stared back at him.

They blinked.

Dean blinked back.

‘Hey,' he said, voice low.

The eyes blinked again. Dean took a cautious step forward.

'Hey,' he said again. 'It’s okay… I’m not gonna hurt you,' he was surprised himself by the gentleness in his tone and wondered at what he’d said aloud because there was a good chance it wasn’t true… if they were infected… he’d have to hurt them for sure… but it didn’t feel like a lie…

In any case, it worked and seconds later, a head appeared around the corner, topped with a frizzy crop of dark curls.

Dean gasped; he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen an honest to god human child... and she was tiny.

‘Hey there... are you okay?’

The girl blinked but didn’t say anything. Dean wasn’t sure that she could. She just stared at him. He crouched down to her level, trying to appear less intimidating in spite of the .22 he had slung around his waist.

‘I’m Dean,’ he said,  hand on his chest. ‘Do you have a name?’ the girl didn’t answer but she stepped out from behind the aisle to completely reveal a skinny little body dressed in veritable rags. ‘Do you live here?’ he gestured to the nest.

She blinked again, edging past him and clambering into the centre of the nest, confirmed his hunch as she tucked herself in beneath the sweaters and clutched something to her chest. She curled up and then stretched out, blinking up at him.

‘Are you... are you hungry?’

She just blinked.

Dean rustled through his jacket pockets and brought out a slightly stale bag of chips. That got her attention; her eyes widened owlishly. ‘You like these?’ he opened up the packet and offered her a chip and she sat up, holding out her open palm and waited for him to hand it over. Dean gave her the chip but as he leaned over, he caught sight of what she was clutching tight to in her other hand. He turned away feeling sick.

She appeared to be holding the remains of a dead fish; it’s pale eyes bulging from between silver scales. He wondered if she’d been eating it raw.

The girl was holding out her hand, patiently waiting for another chip. Dean handed over the whole packet and watched warily as she munched through the entire contents; scraping out every last crumb and even going so far as to peel the packet apart and lick the flavouring off the back of the foil.

She seemed normal enough. That is, she seemed _human._ There was no sign that she was in any way infected. Somehow the croatoan virus hadn’t reached her here. Just a regular little girl, a toddler really… couldn’t be more than two years old…

‘You got a mommy? Or a Daddy? Or… an anyone?’ she just blinked at him again and Dean knew that she didn’t have anyone.

This tiny little thing had for some reason been abandoned here, all alone and despite the odds, survived.

The apocalypse was a desperate time but that didn’t stop this single act from horrifying him.

Desperation can lead to abhorrent actions...

‘You’re gonna come home with me, okay?’ she just blinked, didn’t resist when he reached out for her. Gently he picked her up, slotting her in over his hip and stared down to where she clutched that fish to her chest like the world’s most morbid teddy bear.

‘It’s gonna be all right. We’ll find someone who can take care of you.’ The girl blinked - it seemed to be the only form of communication she knew, so Dean took it for agreement. What else could he do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this is obviously an ongoing thing. Whilst it's an idea I've been sitting on for a while, I'm not entirely sure how long it will be and whilst I have a good idea what is to come, I haven't entirely figured out the ending yet. So far I have the next three chapters (of a similar length) written up and will try to post the second one tomorrow. The rating may change at some point (I fully expect to include smut eventually but this could be a while off...)
> 
> Hope you liked what you've read so far, thanks for reading :) would really appreciate if you leave kudos and comments (they're what I breathe on these days, seriously guys) love ya xxx
> 
> P.S. Ooooh and if you're interested, a bit of blatant self promotion: please come check out [my other fics](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Jems_of_Grace/pseuds/OnceUponADestiel/works?fandom_id=27) and my tumblr blog: [Once Upon A Destiel](http://onceuponadestiel.tumblr.com) for more destiel madness :D


	2. Today You Are Beside Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"Yesterday I was alone,_
> 
> _Today you are beside me._
> 
> _Something still unclear,_
> 
> _Something not yet here,_
> 
> _Has begun."_
> 
> **Suddenly**
> 
> **Les Misérables**

The ride back to camp was largely uneventful. The girl seemed afraid when he turned the engine on and Dean wondered if she'd ever been in a car before but she gripped tight to his arm, nails making half moon marks in his skin and didn't make a sound. After about ten minutes or so she seemed to relax and Dean smiled down at her.

'That's right, it's only a car... just the engine to make It move real fast, see...' he'd half forgotten how to talk to children, he realised. The world as it stood, didn't have much use for such skills. 

She didn't seem to mind, just stared back at him owlishly, never blinking.

'What the fuck?' Chuck asked ten minutes later when Dean got out of the car, the girl gripping tight to his hip. She buried her face in his neck so as not to see the other strange man and Dean glared at him. 'What?' he asked, completely unabashed. 'I wasn't exactly expecting a kid,' he rubbed his eyes warily. 'How long were you gone exactly?'

'Ha ha,' Dean muttered, completely unamused. 'I got you yeh batteries - they're in the trunk,' he gestured behind him and Chuck looked delighted.

'You sure she's not-' Chuck started, as he lifted the trunk up, turning over the packaging to see what he had managed to russel up but Dean interrupted him before he could finish the thought.

'She's not.'

Chuck nodded, 'Okay, so what're yeh gonna do with her now?'

'I dunno ' Dean admitted. 'Figured maybe Risa or Jane or... someone-'

'Ha! Good luck with that,' Chuck muttered, apparently amused but he wondered off before Dean could think of a response. 

He felt sure he could find someone to take care of the little mite. Now Chuck was gone, she stared up at Dean with her big dark eyes and he smiled back down at her, trying to appear encouraging in spite of the first seed of doubt that had just been sown. 

Someone was bound to take pity on her, right? She was just too cute for someone not to... 

By this point they'd attracted a small gathering. 'What in the world...?' he heard someone mutter before he called for silence. 

'Found this little one in the wastelands... Must've been abandoned... She's clean.' He looked back down at her but at the appearance of all the new people she'd hidden her face in his collar again. He looked back to the group. 'So what d'ya say? Anyone fancy adoption?' If they hadn't gone quiet when he'd called for it before, well they certainly did now. About fourteen people and you could have heard a pin drop. 'C'mon guys! She's all alone... At least one of you people must have some unfulfilled nurturing instincts in you?' but still no one came forwards. 'Look I get it, we all have enough on our plates... but she's just like us. I mean, I dunno her back story - probably never will - but someone's gotta-' he trailed off. It was pretty clear he wasn't going to get through to this particular bunch of heartless bastards. They'd learnt from the best after all. 'For crying out loud,' he said in dispare. 'Where's your humanity?'

He didn't really expect a response to that one but he thought he heard someone snicker something about hypocrisy and a dark haired girl muttered, 'Somewhere back in 2013.'

'What's that she's holding?' a surly bloke asked with a frown as he tried to make out the slimy silvery thing grasped in her left hand. 

'Uh... dead fish,' Dean grimaced. The responsive expressions of horror were enough to let him know that he was fighting against the tide here. 'Fine,' Dean rolled his eyes. He figured someone would have jumped at the opportunity; the chance to raise a child... after all, it was likely to be the last chance any of them ever had.

He shouldn't have expected so much from them - they'd all been through so much already. 

'Well... just ask around then will you? I'll- I'll keep her with me for now but... but this obviously can't be a permanent thing...'

The crowd thinned out, heading back to their own cabins and whatever duties they'd been shirking. They'd find someone, Dean felt sure of it... or he had done up until five minutes ago. If worst came to worst, he'd just have to assign someone the duty and they could go suck it up. But he'd much rather someone volunteered in this circumstance - it wouldn't be fair on the girl if she was left with some half hearted, half assed childcare just 'cause apparently no one gave a damn...

'Hey,' he said, softening his tone for the toddler clinging to his hip. 'It's all right... those douches are gone now. We'll find someone to take care of you, I promise,' she just clutched on tighter, ever silent. 'You wanna see where I... err, live,' he finished for want of a better word. No response. 

As soon as he walked into his cabin, Dean knew it was the wrong call.

Nails stuck out of the wooden floorboards in every which direction whilst springs burst free from the largely unused mattress that Dean liked to pretend was his bed.

There were weapons piled high on the table, every kind of gun imaginable and a variety of different knives, all prepped razor sharp.

All this along with the gaping hole in the roof; it was all very well and good so long as the weather remained dry but nevertheless blew a constant breeze through the cabin. 

This was no place for a child, no matter the circumstances or for however short a period of time. It wasn't just dangerous; it was downright depressing. 

The girl glanced around wide-eyed and quickly reverted to hiding her face against his neck again. 'Yeah... you don't wanna stay here,' Dean muttered, backing straight out of the door. 'Me neither to be honest...'

He headed back out into the fresh air, the girl gripping on tight as ever and began to walk aimlessly away from his cabin, no destination in mind and unsure as to what he should do next. He guessed he could just putter around until someone came to let them know they'd be happy to take the child in, give her a home...  but that wasn't realistic and he knew it. The sky was already starting to grow dark. It would probably be tomorrow before they found someone and the girl needed some food ASAP and preferably a clean bed to rest her little curly head... 

Without having realised where his feet where carrying him, he found himself stood in front of another cabin; this one whole and almost entirely undamaged which was about as good as it got in camp Chitaqua. The door stood open wide above the porch, the bead curtain swaying slightly in the evening breeze.

Dean stopped dead in his tracks, staring ahead and wondering if this was really the right call. 

He couldn't tell you if it was desperation or destiny that had led him here, today of all days but he squared his shoulders and gave the girl one last reassuring smile that he didn't really feel any further than his eyes. Then he walked up the front porch, ducking beneath the bead curtain and into Cas's cabin.

 


	3. Someone Who Touches My Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"In my life,_
> 
> _There is someone who touches my life_
> 
> _Waiting near._
> 
> _Waiting here."_
> 
> **In My Life / A Heart Full of Love**
> 
> **Les Misérables**
> 
>  

The cabin was mercifully empty of anyone other than the ex-angel. He looked up at Dean from where he was sat cross legged in the middle of his bed, a smirk playing across his lips and a comment about to escape his mouth.

But then he caught sight of the tiny child gripped tight to Dean’s side like a little monkey and his mouth dropped wide open. _For once,_ Dean thought with some satisfaction, _he's actually speechless._ The two men stared at each other silently across the room and then Cas began laughing hysterically and Dean started to wonder if this was a bad idea. Dude was probably high, he shouldn't be bringing a child in here - _what was he thinking?_

Regretting his decision, he was about to duck back out of the room but Cas stopped him, finally speaking up as he managed to keep his giggles at bay. 'Only you, Dean Winchester.'

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' he asked getting angry now.

Cas shrugged disinterestedly but continued to stare at him with baffled amusement. 'Where did you pick this one up from?' he said with an air that suggested Dean often brought small kids back to camp.

'I was patrolling the town. Found her in a store. _Alone._ ' He emphasised the last word as hard as he could, trying to put some real meaning into it, begging the other man to understand. 

Cas's face grew solemn and thoughtful. 'I see...' He stared hard at Dean, apparently lost for words. 

'I couldn't just leave her there, Cas!'

'No,' Cas agreed. 'You couldn’t,' and Dean hated how it sounded more like a question. 

'Having trouble finding anyone to take her in...' He was trying to explain his presence in Cas's cabin, he had to be wondering what Dean was doing here by now. It wasn't like he ordinarily frequented the place very often; avoided it like the plague in fact. He hadn't actually been inside for several months... 

'That's hardly surprising,' he murmured just loud enough for Dean to hear. 

'Why?' he asked, feeling angry again. 'You're not telling me there aren’t at least half-a-dozen people here who wouldn't have loved kids’ if-'

'If the world wasn't coming to an end? Yes. I'm sure they would have.' Dean blinked. 'But surely you understand, Dean. Things are different now. '

'No shit.'

'I don't think many people would choose to raise a child during an apocalypse. No one would want that kind of responsibility. And... _everyone_ here... everyone has lost someone...' He didn't need to finish the thought for Dean to understand perfectly. Sometimes it was easier to shut yourself out... to not let yourself get close to anybody. Yeah... Dean understood that tactic perfectly well... 

He avoided Cas's gaze as he challenged, 'Well isn't that a bit, I dunno... selfish?'

There was a moment’s pause and Dean imagined that Cas could barely believe what he was hearing. 'I think so...' Cas agreed coldly. 'Yes...' Dean nodded, still unable to meet the other man's gaze. 

He looked down at the girl instead. She'd stopped hiding against his neck now, staring up at him wide eyed instead and Dean couldn't help smiling down at her. It was just so easy, so natural... 

When he looked back up, Cas was staring at them, something close to surprise or even wistful on his face but then he saw Dean looking and guarded his features so fast Dean wondered if he'd imagined it. 

'Well I don't know why you've brought her here,' Cas muttered, a challenge in his eyes that Dean didn’t like one bit. 

'I dunno,' Dean admitted. 'Guess I figured you might be up for lending me a hand. Crazy, huh?'

Cas rolled his eyes, 'There's no point being sarcastic, Dean. I know nothing about childcare as you know perfectly well.'

Dean snorted. 'What and you think anyone really does the first time they wind up with a kid in their lap and a truckload of responsibilities suddenly piled up on their shoulders?'

Cas frowned frustratedly. 'Maybe not... but they at least have the benefit of the human experience.'

'Oh fuck you, Cas! Don't give me that crap. You've got yourself through plenty of human _experience_ over the last year.'

Cas smirked. 'Yeah... I have, haven't I...'

Dean felt sick. He hated when Cas did this - it was just so far removed from the angel he used to know - played him like a fiddle, wound him up to distraction... 

'Fine! Fucking fine! You don't wanna help - I get it-' Just then, Dean's rant was interrupted by the clattering of loud footsteps up the porch steps from behind him and the girl hid her face in Dean's collar again. 

It was Jamie Jones, a thirty year old human labrador with a child-like sense of humour and a habit for clumsiness. But Dean liked having him around just the same. The guy had a heart of gold and was loyal almost to a fault. 'Hey, Summer said she saw you go in here,' he shook his head with a half laugh, like he couldn't believe such a thing. 'So yeah... We've asked around but no dice! Sorry boss but it seems like no one's into the idea of post apocalypse adoption. Blows, man!' he finished with a half shrug. 'Anyways, I said I'd help Brian mend his roof sooo... see ya!' and like that he was gone, disappearing with a wink to Cas and the jingling of beads as he brushed past the door and escaped the butter thick tension which permeated inside the cabin.

'Fuck's sake,' Dean said quietly, setting the girl down on the floor before sinking to his own knees with exhaustion and resting his head in an open palm with a sigh. The girl didn't object to the sudden change, just blinked at him before staring around the cabin with undisguised curiosity. 

He couldn't look at Cas anymore but he could feel the other man's eyes on him. ‘C’mon, Cas...' He said, finding his voice again. 'I can't do this on my own...' she was still clutching at her dead fish, the stench of rot drifting from her and Dean knew it wouldn't take long to stink out the whole cabin. But he didn't have the heart to take it from her. 

He hadn't heard him get up - apparently his hunting instincts dulled with fatigue - but suddenly Cas was sitting down besides them and Dean had to restrain the flinch that came almost automatically these days with any kind of closeness. 

He glanced sideways at the other man, who in turn started curiously at the small child; not saying anything, not even smiling. And she stared just as curiously right back at him. Dean wondered what she was thinking, this was the first time she hadn't hidden from anyone but Dean. 

After a moment she reached out a hand towards him, hesitating before bruising her fingers over his eyelids, an expression of awe on her little face. Cas broke out into the first genuinely heartfelt smile Dean had seen on him in a long time. Dean actually gasped aloud before he realised what was happening _but_ he reasoned, he'd grown so used to the bitter, sarcastic smirks that Cas threw around so casually these days... or else the lustful leers he saw directed at others...

But this was different. He'd never seen Cas smile like that before, even before the apocalypse... it seemed to come easy to him... natural... beautiful...

Dean couldn't tear his eyes away.

The kid seemed as much impressed by his smile as Dean was; her lips lifting a tiny bit at the sides like she was trying to imitate the facial movement without really knowing what it meant...

And Dean stared and stared at the pair of them, his heart thudding hard against the tightness in his chest.


	4. So Much Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"How was I to know that's so much hope was held inside me?_
> 
> _What has passed is gone._
> 
> _Now we journey on, through the night."_
> 
> **Suddenly**
> 
> **Les Misérables**

The kid pokes him in the eyes again and Cas actually laughs, the noise shaking Dean out of his daze.

'What? You don't like my eyes or-'

'Dude - she totally likes your eyes.' Dean said rolling his own.

'Yeah?' he says and now his eyes are glinting mischievously. 'What do you think she likes about them?' and the smirk was back and Dean was trying to stop the heat from rising in his cheeks.

He avoided Cas's gaze again. 'Fuck if I know,' he lied and then as though he couldn't help himself added 'They're almost freakishly blue. Maybe that's it-'

'I wouldn't have thought you'd notice something like that,' Cas cut in cooly.

'Fuck off,' Dean muttered and in a hasty attempt to change the subject asked, 'You got any food about? Kid needs something to eat.'

'I doubt it,' and Dean looked up in time to watch Cas roll his eyes. 'Think it's Chuck's turn to cook later... could go see if he has anything done already I guess...'

'Yeah...'

'You want me to bring you any?'

'Ugh... yeah, guess so...' Dean muttered unenthusiastically and when he looked up again Cas was gone, the bead curtain swinging slightly in the breeze. 

The girl had sat down besides him, running the tips of her fingers over the rug they were sat on as though fascinated by the texture or something... 

'You like that?' Dean asked, just for something to say. But of course, the only answer he gets is a wide eyed blink. He doesn't want to pressure her, it's too soon... but he can't help wondering if she ever learnt to talk at all. If she ever had a family. Or even a name... 

Ten minutes later and Cas is back with three small bowls of tinned stew muttering something about Chuck being a douche but Dean didn’t have the energy to ask what he was in a mood about. 

He handed one bowl over to the girl who stared down at it balefully and Dean realised that she had probably never used a spoon before. 

'Um... like this-' he said, demonstrating eating the stew with his own spoon, swallowing down the tasteless slop in one gulp and trying not to grimace. 'See?'

The girl seemed intrigued enough by the idea, now she knew what it was for; trying to replicate Dean's actions, clenching the spoon tightly in her fist and managing to scoop the stew out of her bowl on the first attempt.

'That's it - yeah!' Dean smiled encouragingly. 

But getting the stew from the spoon to her mouth was a whole different challenge and she wound up splattering the majority of it across her cheeks and down her front. She licked the remainder off her spoon with some satisfaction, like it was the best thing she'd ever tasted and looked quite pleased with herself as though she'd accomplished a great feat. Then apparently deciding the spoon was more a hindrance than a help, threw it carelessly over her shoulder and proceeded to scoop the stew out of the bowl with her bare hands which was easier said than done as it was mostly liquid. 

Dean stared at her wide eyed, at a loss with what to say or do but Cas intervened, pantomiming lifting the bowl to his lips and drinking from it as though from a mug. The girl seemed to find this a much easier option though she still managed to spill a great deal down her front. Cas didn't seem to mind, watching her carefully and swooping in to help before she dropped the entire thing. He was showing a level of patience Dean had never seen from him before... or realised he was capable of... 

'I'm gonna find her something fresh to wear,' Dean muttered when he'd finished his own stew. He decided to raid Cas's drawers first, seeing as they were closest but quickly regretted the first one he'd opened with embarrassment - where did the guy even get that much lube, for crying out loud? It was supposed to be a freaking apocalypse but Cas had enough black market sex toys to stock even the seediest of stores. 

'Fuck sake,' Dean muttered, slamming it closed and he heard Cas snickering somewhere from behind him. 'You got any _actual_ clothes or-'

'Try the bottom drawer,' he answered. 'You know, Dean... I never took you for such a prude.'

'I'm not,' he answered, a tad defensively. 'It's just...' But he realised, with some mortification, where exactly his thought process was going and couldn't finish the sentence out loud.

He managed to find an old worn looking t-shirt which would obviously be at least ten times to big for her but at least it was clean. 'She done?'

'Yes,' Dean wondered back over to the two of them. Cas was eating his own stew now, lifting the spoon to his mouth with an expression of distaste. The girl was picking bits of fallen stew off of her clothes, not leaving anything to waste as she popped every last drop into her mouth.

'Right... how're we gonna do this?'

Five minutes later he'd managed to pry her clothes off over her head and she stood there looking down at her flat bare stomach like she'd never seen it before, poking at her belly button in amusement for a full minute before she allowed Dean to pull the clean t-shirt over her head. Then she stood there pinching at the soft cotton between two fingers and looking confused.

Cas, who had watched the whole thing but barely touched two spoonfuls of stew, pushed his almost full bowl away with a shudder. Dean raised an eyebrow at him. 'Chuck's cooking is fucking awful,' he said by way of an explanation. 'I take it you think she's sleeping here?' Cas asked, blatantly changing the subject when he noticed the girl laying down on the mat again, feeling the fabric beneath her with one hand, clutching her dead fish tightly in the other.

'Oh, I'm sorry. Did you have other plans?' Dean asked sarcastically.

Cas appeared sulky, 'I guess I could cancel this one time...' 

'I'm so sorry, your fucking majesty.'

Cas scowled at him.

'Where are you going to sleep?' he asked, cutting to the chase with a smirk and suggestive eyebrows.

'Ugh...' Dean hadn't thought of that. 'I figured I could just kip out here. She gets the bed. I hear it's the comfiest on camp.'

'It is,' Cas confirmed, not even slightly embarrassed by the implication of Dean's last sentence; that most of the camp had slept in Cas's bed on at least one occasion and could therefore vouch for it's comfort. Quite the contrary; he was perfectly happy to admit that he'd also tried out nearly everyone else's. Dean couldn't play at Cas's games, he didn't have the heart for it...

'Right. Whatever.'

'You could sleep besides her?'

'I guess she's pretty used to sleeping alone, so...' Cas nodded. 'You should have seen it, Cas... it was like a- a _nest_ or something... Can't imagine how long she's been living like that...' Cas's face softened but there wasn't a lot he could say to comfort the other man.

'I've got some spare blankets somewhere-' he said instead, heading over to the cupboard. 'I'm sure someone will put me up for the night-'

'I don't wanna kick you out of your own place, Cas!'

'It's fine, Dean.'

'No. It's not,' he said meeting the other man's eyes. 'And besides... I want you here.' Cas seemed perplexed by that. 'In case something happens...' Dean amended. 'In the night, I mean... I dunno what she's going to sleep like and with it being such a change for her and-'

'Fine. I'll stay.'

Dean hadn't expected convincing him to be that easy. 'Really? I mean... thanks, man. I owe you one.'

'No, Dean. You really don't.' Dean blinked at him. 'One of us could sleep next to the bed, at least. So we're in the same room as her if she wakes up...'

'Yeah... I guess that makes sense...' Cas came back with the blankets and when Dean looked down at the girl he saw that she had already fallen asleep whilst they were talking.

'Kid's bushed,' he said and he couldn't help smiling. She looked pretty damn peaceful like that, even if she did stink of fish. He lifted her up as gently as she could and carried her over to the other room, placing her in the centre of Cas's bed so that she wouldn't roll out in the night. He covered her over with the blankets, piling them around her to ensure she kept warm through the night, before going back out to the other room and to Cas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry, it's taken me forever to update this, I was ill for a couple of weeks and been trying to catch up with life ever since but basically I suck... 
> 
> Yeah, so my current plan with this fic is to update once a week which gives me plenty of time to work on other things. All providing I don't hit another hurdle on the way, so don't hold me to that or anything... 
> 
> But yeah, let me know what you think so far. I've got a good idea of where I'm going with the story and have the next chapter all written up and ready to type. Hope you liked this new chapter anyways xxx


End file.
